Aiming to learn and share the national work and progress on faecal sludge management (FSM), a national convention was organized by the Bangladesh Faecal Sludge Management Network (FSM Network).The daylong conference took place today at the city’s LGED Auditorium to…
Category: Environment
Greenland’s ice-free past exposes sea level rise danger
The massive Greenland ice sheet has melted away at least once during the last 1.4 million years, according to a study published on Wednesday, raising fears that manmade climate change could provoke dangerous sea levels. Bedrock samples retrieved through more…
Giraffes facing ‘silent extinction’ as population plunges
By Matt McGrath A dramatic drop in giraffe populations over the past 30 years has seen the world’s tallest land mammal classified as vulnerable to extinction. Numbers have gone from around 155,000 in 1985 to 97,000 in 2015 according to…
Spotlight on PM’s Delhi visit: ‘new era of cooperation’ sans Teesta
Dhaka – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s proposed New Delhi visit will witness ‘new era of cooperation’ and signing of a number of important documents though a breakthrough on Teesta looks unlikely. The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave for New…
Stabilise major rivers to combat bank erosions
Dhaka – Water Resources Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud on Wednesday stressed the need for stabilising the country’s major rivers to reduce riverbank erosion aiming to protect people’s land and belongings from its wraths. “Riverbank erosion creates a lot of…
Accepting all Rohingyas not possible: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh is providing shelter to the Rohingyas who are coming here losing everything, but ruled out the possibility to accept all.”We’re giving shelter to those who’re coming here losing everything, but it’s also…
Polar bear numbers to plunge a third as sea ice melts
Polar bear numbers could drop a third by mid-century, according to the first systematic assessment, released Wednesday, of how dwindling Arctic sea ice affects the world’s largest bear. There is a 70 percent chance that the global polar bear population…
Bangladesh, India inland water transit meeting held
Dhaka – The 18th meeting of the Standing Committee on Protocol on Inland Water Transit & Trade (PIWTT) between India and Bangladesh was held on Tuesday in Dhaka. Additional Secretary of the Bangladesh’s Shipping Ministry Md. Rafiqul Islam and Chairman…
EU wants Bangladesh not to turn back Rohingyas
Recognising the long-standing solidarity and hospitality of the government and the people of Bangladesh, the European Union has said it is important that those fleeing violence in Myanmar are not deported or turned back.”By providing assistance and protection to them…
How toxic water destroyed Pakistan’s largest lake
For generations the Mohanna tribe have lived, loved, worked, and played on Pakistan’s Manchar Lake; their floating settlement serving their needs from birth to death. But an unrelenting flow of toxic wastewater is pouring into the lake—a byproduct of industrialisation…
UN biodiversity confce at Cancun to debate synthetic biology
Cancún (Lim Li Ching) – The United Nations Biodiversity Conference opened in Cancún, Mexico on 4 December. The largest global gathering that convenes every two years to discuss biodiversity issues will meet over the next two weeks until 17 December.…
Global call for moratorium on new genetic extinction tech
Cancun, Mexico – This week, international conservation and environmental leaders are calling on governments at the 2016 UN Convention on Biodiversity to establish a moratorium on the controversial genetic extinction technology called gene drives. Gene drives, developed through new gene-editing…
Fog disrupts Paturia-Daulatdia Ferry service in BD
Dhaka – Ferry Service on Paturia-Daulatdia route in the Padma river was disrupted following dense fog early Tuesday.
Cabinet okays bill raising land acquisition compensation
The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of ‘The Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Bill, 2016’, raising compensation against land value by three times than the average value in the areas concerned.The approval was given at the…
Saudi Arabia sacks labour minister seven motnhs into the job
Dhaka: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Friday sacked the labour minister who headed efforts to help tens of thousands of unpaid foreign workers, according to a message received in Dhaka. After being in the position for only seven months, Mufarrej…
US Sioux tribe wins battle against pipeline crossing their lake
(CNN)Celebrations, tears of joy, chanting and drumming rang out among thousands of protesters at the Standing Rock site after the US Army Corp of Engineers announced it will look for an alternate route for the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross…
Who will help Myanmar’s ‘friendless’ Rohingya?
They have been described as the world’s most persecuted people. Rejected by the country they call home and unwanted by its neighbours, the Rohingya are impoverished, virtually stateless and have been fleeing Myanmar in droves and for decades. In recent…
Private sector must come forward to save Royal Bengal tigers: Experts
Dhaka-Experts at dialogue stressed the need for engaging the private sector in the conservation of tigers, their natural habitat and the Sundarbans mangrove forest.
500 shanties burned in Dhaka city slum fire
Dhaka – Around 500 shanties in Karail Slum in the capital were completely destroyed in a devastating fire that broke out this afternoon. Deputy assistant director of fire brigade Masudur Rahman Akhanda said the fire might have originated from an…
Riverbank erosion: 300 Kurigram families in northern BD homeless
Dhaka – Brahmaputra river bank erosion has taken a serious turn rendering at least 300 families of Nayachar Bazar and Kodalkati Bazar in Rajibpur upazila in Kurigram homeless in the last three weeks. During a visit to the areas mentioned…
EU regional seminar on safer migration in South Asia
Dhaka – In light of the many challenges faced in the South Asian region with regards to migrant workers, the European Union Delegation to Nepal hosted a regional seminar on “Making Labour Migration Easy and Safe in South Asia” in…
PM is hopeful regarding Teesta water sharing agreement
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said she is still hopeful about the Teesta water sharing agreement with India.
BNP to win NCC polls, says Gayeshwar
Dhaka – BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Saturday urged their party leaders and activists to work together in Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election as the ‘sheaf of paddy’ has “cent percent possibility” to win the polls. UNB news…
Rohingya crisis: PM for identifying Oct 9 attackers
Dhaka – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the world leaders should have been more vocal on Myanmar issue in identifying the handful of October 9 perpetrators that led to the sufferings of thousands of men, women and children…
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo launches Women4Climate Initiative
Mexico City – Today (2 December 2016) Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo leads women mayors from around the world in launching the Women4Climate initiative to help support and celebrate women leaders who are driving forward climate action. As the first woman…
New wave of destruction in Rohingya villages: Where is Suu Kyi
New York – New satellite imagery of Burma’s Rakhine State shows 820 newly identified structures destroyed in five different ethnic Rohingya villages between November 10-18, 2016, Human Rights Watch said today. The Burmese government should without further delay invite the…
6m solar home system plan faces setback
Dhaka – The country’s solar home system (SHS), which is acclaimed as the world’s most successful single largest programme, is now in limbo due to a sharp fall in its installation rate. According to the industry insiders, the monthly installation…
Border Guard Bangladesh seize Tk 919-cr contraband items
Dhaka – Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized various contraband items, including Yaba tablets, heroin and foreign wine, worth over Tk 919.45 crore in the last 11 months. UNB news agency reported
Purbachal to be first smart city in Bangladesh
Purbachal New Town Project will be developed as the first smart city in Bangladesh by 2018, official said.”The government has a plan to build Purbachal new town project a smart city where quality infrastructure and all modern amenities will be…
Cyclonic storm Nada weakening in Northwest Bay of Bengal
Dhaka – The cyclonic storm Nada moving towards the north west Bay from south east Bay of Bengal is getting weak and may shrink into a depression to deep depression that may eventually weaken further into a land depression over…